Government must get a ‘stronger growth strategy’ despite jobs rise

THE number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and incapacity benefits has fallen across East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire.

There were 2,063 JSA claimants in East Staffordshire last month, the Office for National Statistics said, and another 1,295 in South Derbyshire. These figures were both down on the previous month.

Meanwhile official data released yesterday also showed there were 3,970 employment support allowance and incapacity benefit claimants living in East Staffordshire as of last November — the lowest number since August 2008.

There were a further 2,920 such claimants in South Derbyshire in November, the lowest number since records began in 1999.

Chris Plant (pictured), director of the Burton and District Chamber of Commerce, said it was ‘pleasing’ to see a fall in the number of benefit claimants and said the area had a ‘relatively robust labour market’.

But Mr Plant said the squeeze on salaries and weak economic performance meant it was time for the Government to develop a ‘stronger growth strategy’.

He said: “Worryingly, total pay has risen by only 0.4 per cent compared with a year earlier, the lowest since 2009.